85548041 Understanding Salvation Jesse Duplantis

7/30/2019 85548041 Understanding Salvation Jesse Duplantis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/85548041-understanding-salvation-jesse-duplantis 1/49



Understanding

Salvation

A Guidebook for New Christians

JDM Publications



All scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible, unless

otherwise noted.

Scripture marked (NKJV) is from New King James Version, copyright 1982,

Thomas Nelson, Inc. Scripture marked (NIV) is taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, by International

Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights

reserved. Scripture marked (AMP) is from The Amplified Bible, copyright

1954, 1958, 1962, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission of

Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Understanding SalvationISBN 978-09743829-0-6

Copyright ©2005 Jesse Duplantis

Published by Jesse Duplantis Ministries

Jesse Duplantis Ministries

P. O. Box 1089

Destrehan, Louisiana 70047

USA

www.jdm.org

Jesse Duplantis Ministries is dedicated to reaching people and changing lives

with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For more information or to purchase other

products from Jesse Duplantis Ministries, please contact us at the addressabove.

Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved under

International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in

whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the

publisher.

http://www.jdm.org/

http://www.jdm.org/



Contents

Introduction........................................................................5

1 God's Good Plan..............................................................7

2 All People Need God.....................................................13

3 Jesus' Sacrifice, Our Redemption...................................19

4 What is a Born-Again Christian?...................................23

5 How to Be Sure of Your Salvation................................25

6 Living By Choice and Not By Chance...........................37

7 A Place for You in Heaven............................................45

Steps to Take Next............................................................47



Introduction

If you've just accepted Jesus as your personalLord and Savior, CONGRATULATIONS! You have a brand new life ahead of you and you're on your wayto Heaven too!

The commitment to follow after God is the beginning of a wonderful life filled with new ways of

thinking and new ways of doing things.

Of course, you may not really know what to donow that you've accepted Jesus as your Lord. After all, this may be new to you. If so, don't worry. Many people don't know what step to take next. And that'swhy this book was written. It's filled with scriptures

from the Bible and nuggets of truth that will help youunderstand the basics of salvation and jump-start youon the road to your new life.

God wants your new life with Him to be filledwith peace, joy and love—and it all starts with gettingto know Him better through prayer and His Word.

5



Chapter One

1God's Good Plan

The story of mankind as found in Genesis is afascinating one that you will want to read for yourself. Although science may lead us to believe thatwe came from some single-celled life form in the sea,the Bible tells us otherwise. In the Bible, you willfind that God created man separately from other life.He created two people—one male, whom He calledAdam, and one female, whom Adam called Eve. Wehave come to hear these names so much that many people discredit the Bible in this regard, but thesewere two very real people who lived and lost one of

the greatest gifts ever given.

When Adam and Eve walked the earth, thingswere harmonious and peaceful. The Lord loved bothAdam and Eve and considered them one being. He blessed them and commanded them to "Be fruitful,

and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it..." He told

them they had "...dominion over the fish of the sea,over the birds of the air, and over every living thing

that moves on the earth" (Genesis 1:28, NKJV).

In essence, God gave the earth to them. It was agreat gift—and as beautiful as nature is today, it palesin comparison to what it looked like before sin

affected the earth.

7



Adam and Eve were caretakers of the earth andthey had full reign over everything that lived—plantsand animals, which they treated with respect and lovesince they did not have it in them to do otherwise.

Many people recognize that in telling Adam andEve to "subdue the earth" that God was warning themthat something was going to need subduing—or putting down. They were going to have to use their power as caretakers of the earth to see to it that allstill went well. What do you think was coming? Youguessed it. Satan came disguised in the form of aserpent, trying to rob mankind of their relationshipwith God by convincing them that God was a liar andunneeded.

The Knowledge of Good and Evil

If you've ever heard the story called the "fall of man" you know that when satan came to the woman,he came with deceit in mind. He came to kill, steal

and destroy God's plan for man (John 10:10). Satantempted Eve to do something that the Lord hadexpressly told her and her mate not to do—eat fromthe Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Thiswas a tree that was placed by God in the Garden of Eden, and it was a symbol of our free will.

God warned them. He said, "You shall not eat it,

nor shall you touch it, lest you die" (Genesis 3:3, NKJV). The Lord wanted them to remain innocent

8



about evil, like little children without cares. This wasHis way of giving them a free choice. Then satancame, choosing to speak with Eve instead of Adam.He asked her, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the garden?'" (Genesis 3:1, NKJV).

Of course, satan knew what God had said tothem, but he asked as if he didn't. He was laying atrap for Eve. She answered, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the treewhich is in the midst of the garden, God has said 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest youdie'" (Genesis 3:2-3, NKJV).

Satan coyly replied, "You will not surely die."

Now, this should have perked up Eve's ears because itwas probably the very first time a creature of God'screation (the serpent) said something against God'sWord—totally calling God a liar. But Eve didn'tinterrupt at this point and satan went on, "For God

knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will beopened and you will be like God, knowing good and

evil" (Genesis 3:5, NKJV). So, he had lied to her bycontradicting what God had said and mixed both a lieand a truth. Notice that Eve listened to the serpent.She did not subdue it, but instead entertained the ideafor a moment and gazed at the tree.

The scripture says, "So when the woman saw

that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant

9



to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate" (Genesis 3:6, NKJV).In this, Eve made the decision, after looking at thefruit, to deliberately disobey God and eat it. She wasdeceived, but she made her choice to believe theserpent. The fate of mankind wasn't sealed only byEve's act of disobedience because God considered her and Adam to be one, connected in spirit. It wasn't

until Adam made his choice that satan's deceptionwas complete.

When Eve offered this to Adam, he had a choiceto make. He could either obey God and not eat fromthe tree, or obey Eve and the serpent and rebel againstGod. God said they'd die; Satan said they'd gain

knowledge as powerful as God.

Adam made his choice. He bit into disobedienceand immediately, the earth changed. To God, thischoice to believe satan over Himself was directrebellion, a free-will creation choosing to side withHis adversary, satan. To satan, these two people had

given him what he wanted, entrance into the dealingsof the earth. They had handed over their power tosatan.

The Effects of Sin on Mankind

The scriptures tell us that Adam and Eveimmediately knew that they were naked. This was the

10



first time they'd ever felt shame, a trait that didn'texist with God. Through their choice to sin bydisobeying God and siding with satan, Adam and Evegave satan the ability to permeate the earth with hisvery nature—the sin nature.

The consequences or "curse" of the sin naturecame into full effect, with man being told that hewould have to work by the sweat of his brow tosucceed in life and with the woman being told that her pain in childbirth would dramatically increase. Thewoman was also told that her desire would be for her husband but that he would rule over her (Genesis3:16). This curse has been seen throughout history.Inequality for women began with sin. Before it, menand women were in harmony. After it, they were not.

Today's uphill battle for women's rights stillrages in many parts of the earth. Yet, Christ's sacrificemore than 2,000 years ago on the cross broughtsalvation for Christian men and women—a way out of the distortion of our relationships towards oneanother brought on by sin's entrance into the earth.

Galatians 3:28 tells us that, through Christ, we are allequal when it says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek,

there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

In the scriptural account, God had an angel driveAdam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden and a

double-edged sword was placed at its entrance. No

11



more would they live an easy and carefree life.Iniquity made their path hard, and it also made it hardfor everyone who would follow after them.

12



Chapter Two

2All People Need God

Today, some people think that they don't needGod in their life. They hear these old stories and think that they are not true; they try to live a carefree life,as if nothing had ever happened to the earth and as if no evil exists within them. This is self-deception.

The consequence of sin is all around us. It penetrated the earth and the heart of man, andconsequently, our attitudes and thought processes.Turn on the news and you will see so much violenceand hatred. Look at your neighborhood and you willsee so much indifference to the pain of others.

Sin is a crime against God's good nature, and thatcrime doesn't have to be violent to be bad. It is also acrime against God to be indifferent to the suffering of others. We all come from the same family.

All people need God. Although we didn't

personally make the choice to sin, as descendants of God's creation and members of the same family, theBible says that we have inherited this sin nature or asGod said, death.

When God told Adam and Eve that theknowledge of good and evil would kill them, He

meant it, because sin brings separation from God, andseparation from God is certain spiritual death. As

13



Romans 6:23 (NKJV) says, "The wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesusour Lord."

Even if you don't consider yourself a bad person,you cannot deny that you haven't done some wrong inyour life. You may have committed a crime thatsociety finds cruel or repulsive, or you may have just been indifferent to God or others or consumed onlywith yourself. Still, your actions are not the root of

the problem. They are by-products of being separatedfrom God's nature, a nature that is loving, kind, andrespectful and one that treats others as you wouldwant to be treated.

Whether "good" or "bad" by society's measure,Romans 3:23 says that, "All have sinned, and come

short of the glory of God." This means that all peopleneed redemption.

Spiritual Re-birth through Jesus Christ

What is the remedy for spiritual death? Spiritual

re-birth. The sin nature is in us and without somethingto wash that sin away, we will continue to beseparated from God. That something is the blood of Jesus Christ. The prayer for salvation is based on it.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave Hisonly begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him

should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the

14



world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:16-17).

Jesus —sent to earth in order that He might die. Jesus —sent to die in order that you might live.

Jesus —Whose blood was considered so holy and pure that God accepted it as the ultimate sacrifice for the mistakes of the Garden, the mistakes of mankind.

Jesus —sent not to condemn but to save!

Jesus came to pay a price so steep no man could pay it, no matter how "good" he was. God chose the plan of redemption. He chose to accept only the best —the blood of His Son to purchase redemption. Thiswas God's way of washing away all your sin andmaking you whole again.

Often called "The Greatest Story Ever Told," thetrue story of Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrectionis the story of God bridging the gap between Himself and mankind. It is the story of how this greatsalvation came to be available to you.

The salvation story is told through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and was prophesiedabout in numerous Old Testament books of the Bible.It is the story of a man, God in the flesh, who was born of a virgin and lived a remarkable, powerful,and pure life—the life of a divine martyr for mankind.

Jesus was focused on God and was "about His Father's business" even as a young child (Luke 2:49).

15



Although Jesus fulfilled the Bible's Messianic prophecies, He was not received by the religiousleaders of His day, and He was rejected by many of His own people. Because so many people of that timewere looking for a conquering, political leader in theMessiah, Jesus didn't fit their idea of what a Messiahshould be.

Jesus was a spiritual leader. He didn't dive intothe politics of the day but spoke about the issues of man's heart. Although He came as a lowly man, onthe back of a donkey, He was indeed a conqueror (Matthew 21).

More than a great Rabbi and better than any kingcould be, Jesus conquered hell, death, and the gravethrough His innocently shed blood on the cross. Henot only died on the cross, but He also rose again onthe third day, just as He said He would do (Matthew20:19; 27:63). More than 500 people saw Him, after His death (1 Corinthians 15:6).

So, although Jesus wasn't the political leader many expected Him to be, He came to earthnonetheless, and we must receive Him as our Messiah, as God in the flesh and our only way to Godin order to be saved and enter Heaven when we die(Acts 4:10-12).

During His life on earth, Jesus Christ was a mananointed by God to teach, preach, heal, and deliver people, a man who had compassion on the lost and

16



strength to stand in the face of the devil and withstandall temptation. He was a man who had everyopportunity to sin, yet chose not to.

The Bible records the story of "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38).

Of course, the prophecies of His coming cameyears before. They started at the fall of man andcontinued until He came upon the scene over twothousand years ago. Here are just a few of the prophetic verses that attest to Jesus as our Messiah.

Jesus—Born of a Virgin

Prophecy in Isaiah 7:14Fulfillment in Matthew 1:23Jesus—Divine and Human

Prophecy in Isaiah 9:6Fulfillment in Luke 1:30-33

Jesus—Born in Bethlehem

Prophecy in Micah 5:2

Fulfillment in Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7Jesus—Rejected by His Own

Prophecy in Isaiah 53:3Fulfillment in John 1:11; John 5:43

Jesus—Acquainted with Suffering

Prophecy in Isaiah 53:3-5; Psalm 22:16

Fulfillment in Matthew 26:38; Matthew

17



8:17; Luke 23:33; John 19:34Jesus—His Death

Prophecy in Isaiah 53:8,12; Daniel 9:26

Fulfilled in Luke 23:46Jesus—His Burial

Prophecy in Isaiah 53:9Fulfillment in Matthew 27:57-60

Jesus—His Resurrection

Prophecy in Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10

Fulfillment in Matthew 28:5-6; Acts 2:32

These are only a few of the prophecies that werefulfilled during the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! Who would have thought that Godwould leave His place in Heaven and come to theearth as a man? Only our God would think to do this,to come as a man and beat satan on a man's level. Canyou imagine? It was the ultimate disgrace to satan todefeat him, not as God but as man—paving the wayfor us and proving that we can beat that devil too!

18



Chapter Three

3Jesus' Sacrifice, Our Redemption

As you read the Old Testament, you will see thatGod had established a covenant, a way to atone or cover up mankind's sin and temporarily bridge thegap between Him and man—this covenant was byway of Moses. This was temporary. But, with Jesus,He made a way to completely wash sin away, makinga way for mankind to be redeemed permanently.

This new covenant, or New Testament, marks the beginning of God's foolproof plan of redemption andis why your Bible is broken into two parts today. Theold covenant, or Old Testament, is called the "law"and you'll find it spoken of throughout the Bible. Thenew covenant, cut with Jesus' blood, is what appliesto you today.

Jesus has paid the price for all sin with His bloodon the cross so that all a person has to do to beredeemed and have all their sin washed away is to personally accept God's plan of salvation. It's thatsimple.

Jesus did all the work; all we have to do is acceptHis work in faith. When you prayed the sinner's prayer, you were washed clean of sin and becamerighteous in God's sight.

What did you do exactly to obtain salvation?

19



First, you admitted you were a sinner. Second, yourepented from your sin and chose to turn away fromyour old lifestyle. Third, you believed in your heartthat Jesus Christ died on the cross for you personally.And lastly, you received Jesus into your heart and lifethrough prayer.

Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) assures you "...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him fromthe dead, you will be saved. For with the heart onebelieves unto righteousness and with the mouthconfession is made unto salvation." You likely prayed a prayer similar to this one:

Lord Jesus, forgive me of all my sins. I know that I need Your love and forgiveness in my life. I believethat You died for my sins on the cross. I don't want tolive the way I have been. I want to turn away frommy sin and live right before You. I want to trust Youand follow You, Jesus. So, I ask You to come into myheart and make a change in me right now. I want You to know that I accept you as my Lord and

Savior! I love You, Jesus. Thank You for dying on thecross for my sins, for rising on the third day as You said. Come into my life right now and receive me intothe family of God! In Your name I pray, Amen.

Simply by praying this prayer, believing in your heart, and confessing with your mouth, you have been

adopted into the family of God. You've been "born

20



again."

21



Chapter Four

4What is a Born-Again Christian?

You may have heard about born-again Christiansand wondered what this was about. Well, "bornagain" is just a term used to describe the event when a person realizes their need for God and accepts Jesusas their Savior and Lord.

To be born again simply means that you have passed from spiritual death to spiritual life. The termcomes from something Jesus said to a man named Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Jesus answered and said

unto him, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man

be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'"

Jesus was talking about the spiritual rebirth of accepting redemption. Many people have done this.Many have called out to Jesus and have been bornagain and yet, don't use the term. Some do. That's upto you. This powerful spiritual experience is one thatis prevalent in many types of Christiandenominations, whether it's called this or not.

When a person becomes awakened spiritually byaccepting Christ, they are suddenly made righteous inGod's sight. Righteousness isn't a way of acting; it's aspiritual state and simply means that God hasaccepted Christ's blood on your behalf. As a new believer, you are in "right-standing" with God (1

23



Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians3:9).

Righteousness isn't something you can earn. Noamount of good works will make it happen; ithappens because of what Jesus did on the cross. Bygrace, you are saved, not by works. After you havethis "heart experience," however, you will naturallystart to crave doing good works. A heart change will propel you to make lifestyle changes.

When it comes to salvation, you don't have toworry if you "did it right" or "said it right." If youwere serious in your heart when you prayed thesinner's prayer, you are redeemed. You are saved or "born again" and have been adopted into the Familyof God.

No matter what you've done in your life— whether you've committed a crime against society or you simply were indifferent—your sin has beencompletely washed away by Jesus' blood.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) puts it this way, "For by

grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest

anyone should boast." That scripture proves that your salvation doesn't depend on your strength or ability. Itdepends on Jesus, and His blood is more than able totake care of your salvation.

24



Chapter Five

5How to Be Sure of Your Salvation

For many people, assurance of salvation is adifficult thing to accept, but it doesn't have to be!Below are a few of the most commonly askedquestions regarding the assurance of salvation.Perhaps you have asked these questions or wonderedabout your own salvation. If so, read these answersnow. Don't go another day unsure of your precioussalvation.

I said the sinner's prayer, but I don't know if I did it right. How can I really know

for sure that I'll go to Heaven when I die?You mean you didn't get the golden, wallet-sized

pass in the mail already? You know, the one that getsyou through the gates with no waiting in line whenyou die? No? Well, don't worry about it...neither didanyone else! Nobody ever gets a certificate signed by

God and delivered by an angel that guaranteesadmittance into Heaven. Why? Because salvation isspiritual and it's received, and believed, by faith.

Although most of us would love to havesomething physically tangible—such as a divinecertificate or pass—to ensure our salvation, God has

chosen to keep salvation spiritual, making it

25



accessible only through a spiritual substance calledfaith.

By faith we believe that God's Word is true. Byfaith we acknowledge and agree that Jesus is God'sonly Son, and through His death on the cross andresurrection from the grave, we have redemption fromsin and eternal life in Heaven. It is your faith in Jesusas Lord that is your "golden pass" into Heaven.

The Word can be trusted. As Christians, we believe that the Bible is the holy, Word of God—adivine manual for living this life. The scriptures saythat God's Word has been with us from the beginningof time. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word

was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

Because of this verse, we often say that the Bibleisn't just a book; it's a Person—literally a part of our God. He binds Himself to His Word to such a degreethat He will not break it, ever. In Psalm 89:34, Godsays, "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing

that is gone out of My lips." He will fulfill everythingHe promises.

So, to make sure that you're saved, all you haveto do is go back and read the qualifications in theHoly Bible for salvation. John 3:16 (NKJV) says,"For God so loved the world that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Then, Romans10:9-10 (NKJV) says "that if you confess with your

26



mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes untorighteousness and with the mouth confession is madeunto salvation."

So, ask yourself, "Have I done what thesescriptures say? Do I believe in Jesus? Do I believethat Jesus is God's Son and that He died on the crossand rose from the dead? Do I believe in my heart andhave I confessed with my mouth that He is my Lord,my Savior?" If so, then you have absolutely nothingto worry about—you are saved.

The Word of God is full of scriptures that willencourage and enlighten you about God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. If you're wondering if Jesus accepted your prayer of salvation, read John6:37. If you want to know what you got in return for your sins, read Colossians 1:14.

If you want to find out how you came to be achild of God, read John 1:12. If you want reassuranceabout eternal life, read 1 John 5:11-13. If you want toknow what happened within you when you said thesinner's prayer, read 2 Corinthians 5:17. And finally,if you're feeling alone and on your own, readHebrews 13:5. The Word is filled with scriptures tohelp you feel confident in your salvation.

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the Apostle Paul assuresus of the divinity of the Bible when he says, "All

27



scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Although the King James Version of the Biblerefers to the scripture as, "...given by inspiration of God," the original Greek used a word that translatesmore literally as God-breathed. Our Englishequivalent doesn't seem to have the power of theoriginal Greek, does it? If you think of scripture likeGod's breath—a part of Himself literally beingexpelled out into the world—you will get a good ideaof how powerful and close God is to His Word.

Some parts of our Bible are stories and others are prophetic words, teachings and promises from God toHis people. Yet, all of it is divinely inspired andshould be given the utmost respect and confidence.Be sure to get a Bible and make it a priority to readand study it each day.

But what if I don't feel like a Christian?

You can't use your feelings to gauge your salvation. Your mind didn't get saved when you didand neither did your emotions. It was your spirit thatwas re-created. That's why you can praise Jesus inchurch one minute and go out in the parking lot andfeel like slapping the guy who blocked you in by

28



parking behind you!

Your feelings change every day, every hour,

every minute. They can't be trusted with something asvaluable as salvation. If so, you'd be in and out of hellso much, you wouldn't know what to do! And, that isnot God's plan for your life. His plan is that you"...might have life, and that they might have it more

abundantly" (John 10:10). God isn't moved by thevariety of human emotions. He isn't moved by

pleading and crying; He's moved by faith. God wantsus to believe Him. "But without faith it is impossibleto please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of themthat diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Sure, you may not feel like getting up and seeing

the sun tomorrow morning, but it doesn't reallymatter. It's going to come up whether you like it or not. I don't care if somebody spent all night trying todeceive you into thinking that it won't. That sun iscoming up! It's a fact! You can count on it!

God's Word is more dependable than the sun thatHe created. When He says something, it becomes afact! His Word is always the last word. The devilmight have been working overtime trying to convinceyou that you never really got saved, but he's a liar (John 8:44). If God said in Romans 10:9 (NKJV) thatall you have to do to be saved is "...confess with your

mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that

29



God has raised Him from the dead" then, it's a fact.You can count on it.

God is a spirit and His ways are spiritual, not physical. Feelings are physical, not spiritual. Andalthough He created you as an emotional creature,your every feeling isn't ordained by Him.

As you continue to renew your mind to the Wordof God by reading and studying your Bible, you will

find that it is easier to determine when your feelingsare steering you wrong. Just remember that feelingsare temporary, and they change constantly. But God

never changes (Hebrews 13:8). And the new, re-created spirit that now lives in you is a part of Him,and that isn't likely to change either.

So, the next time you find yourself gauging your salvation by your feelings again, stop. The next timethe devil tries to throw doubt about your salvationinto your mind, stop. Turn the tables on your ownmind and the devil by speaking out some of thescriptures you've read. Do it out loud if you have to.

Remember, the Bible was written with you inmind, so you can feel free to include yourself in thescriptures. When you are quoting Galatians 3:13-14,

put yourself in it and say, "I am God's property, Ihave been bought with the blood of Jesus and I'm freefrom the curse of the law. Sin, sickness, poverty, fear,doubt, worry, confusion and all that the devilrepresents shall not have dominion over me!"

30



When you get to Galatians 4:7 say, "I am a childof God, and as a child, I'm an heir of God throughChrist." Put yourself in Romans 8:37 too and say, "Iam more than a conqueror through Jesus!" How aboutPhilippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christthat strengthens me!" Now, that's a good one!

Remember, the Word of God is real. It's actuallyalive with God's power and when you apply it and useit, it has the capability of changing you from theinside out. It can turn your attitude from defeated todetermined. And, when you're determined, look out!There is nothing in this life that is going to hold you back from going after the good life that God hasmeant for you to enjoy.

Begin to exercise your faith in this area and pretty soon, you won't have a doubt in the world thatJesus is your Lord and that He is with you every day.

What if I've sinned after I said the sinner's prayer?

Could I have lost my salvation then?

The Bible tells us that we must repent of sin inorder to be forgiven and washed clean by the blood of Jesus—repent means to ask forgiveness and to turnand go the other way. Repentance brings with it aheart to change.

Sinning after you've said the sinner's prayer will

probably happen, however the point is to realize your sin, ask for forgiveness, and learn from your mistake.

31



Turn the other way. Do not continue doing what youknow is wrong.

Some people think that you lose your salvationevery time you sin. This is not true. The blood of Jesus is available to wash you clean. All you have todo is repent. The only time you need to worry about"losing" your salvation is when you deliberatelyreject Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior—whenyou make a choice to no longer believe in your heartthat God raised Jesus from the dead and when youconfess with your mouth that He is no longer your Lord.

So, again, the only way you could possibly loseyour salvation is if you deliberately reject Jesus asyour Lord and Savior—and that is a very strong thingto do. The question is, have you stopped believingthat Jesus is God's Son and that He was raised fromthe dead? Have you deliberately rejected Jesus asLord? Probably not. If you had, you would be"Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having your conscience

seared with a hot iron," like 1 Timothy 4:2 says, and

you wouldn't really care about the status of your salvation.

It is more likely that you are feeling guilty aboutsomething you've done. The devil may be castingdoubt on the work that God has done within your heart, using your recent mess-up as a way to heap

coals of condemnation on your mind. You may be

32



listening to his lies, thinking that since you messed upyou couldn't possibly still be saved. Remember thatthe devil uses guilt and condemnation to lie to youabout God's grace. He will use any way he can tosteal your faith in God and make you feel worthless— but you aren't. You are valuable to God andforgiveness is always available to you.

1 Peter 3:18 (NKJV) tells us that, "Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that Hemight bring us to God, being put to death in the fleshbut made alive by the Spirit."

Romans 5:8-9 (NKJV) tells us, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that whilewe were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much morethen, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."

These scriptures show us that Jesus died a brutaldeath on the cross so that all sins could be washedaway. For you, that includes the sins you committed10 years ago and the ones you might have justcommitted 10 minutes ago. His blood can even takecare of the ones you haven't committed yet! You see,God knew that we would mess up every now and then(Romans 3:23). That's why He created such a fail- proof plan. But, He doesn't expect us to abuse Hisgrace or wallow around in sin. He wants our conscience and our lives clean.

So, if you've sinned, all you have to do to have

33



those sins off your conscience and the slate wipedclean is to go before the Lord in prayer and repent.Don't ever let sin or guilt keep you from going to theThrone of Grace. Prayer is the place where you getrid of that awful stuff! How do you repent? By doingwhat 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is

faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

By admitting the sin to God, asking for His

forgiveness, and making a quality decision not tocommit that sin again, you are fulfilling therequirement of repentance. The Father willimmediately draw on the blood that was shed byJesus on the cross and use it to cleanse you of all sin.Then, He will erase the sin from His memory and

never hold it against you any more. In Isaiah 43:25,God says, "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy

transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

The salvation that you have today may have beenfree to you, but it didn't come cheap. It came at great

expense to God. He gave His precious Son to becrucified for the sins of all mankind—something thathurt Him. It was His best gift. And, Jesus, Whoagreed to be "the Lamb slain before the foundation of

the world" left His rightful place in Heaven to enduresuch a death, just for you (Revelation 13:8).

Jesus —He gave His life for yours.

34



Jesus —He took the curse of all sin onto His own body while on the cross so that you could be madefree and inherit the promise (Galatians 3:13-14).

Jesus —He paid the price for your sin, anxietyand sickness. "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: thechastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus —He paid the price for you to come out of spiritual, physical and financial poverty and becomerich in all things. "Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His povertymight be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

As you begin to discover the nature of Christ by

making His Word your priority, you will see thatChrist has an undying love for you and wants the bestfor your life. There is no need to live any other way, because His way is the best way. So, be honorableand treat Christ with love and respect. Don't abuseHis goodness and grace by using His forgiveness asan excuse to keep on sinning (Romans 6).

Today, make a quality decision in your heart tochange your ways into His ways! "And do not beconformed to this world, but be transformed by therenewing of your mind, that you may prove what isthat good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2, NKJV).

You don't have to feel overwhelmed with the

35



responsibility of changing overnight. Just take it day by day and be faithful with what you know.

Pretty soon, you'll be so full of confidence inyour faith that you'll be telling everyone you meethow "God so loved the world that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John3:16).

You'll be the one convincing others of just howeasy it is to receive God's gift of salvation and make achange in life!

36



Chapter Six

6Living By Choice and Not By

Chance

As a new believer, you have embarked on a lifeof choice and not of chance. You are going to haveopportunities every day to choose wisely. Two of the

most important "rules" that you can use to governyour choices come straight from the lips of Jesus.

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord

thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou

shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these twocommandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40).

Jesus knew when He said this that if you live bythese two rules the rest would come naturally. Prayingisn't a rule. Going to church isn't a rule. Being kind

and respectful to others isn't a rule. Doing "this" or not doing "that" isn't what Christianity is all about.It's about a heart-change and a new found freedom inChrist.

You are free to be close to God, to choose to dothe right thing—not because you must, but because

you love Him and you want to follow His way of

37



doing things. This new lifestyle you are embarkingupon isn't a new way of living in bondage to a bunchof rules and regulations. No, it's a new life of freedomfrom the old restrictions of the old sin nature.

This new lifestyle includes regular Bible readingand studying to find out more about God's ways. Itincludes finding a good Bible-believing church inyour area and attending.

Church-going helps you to grow through themessages and it also gives you an opportunity to getinvolved with a group of people who are also learningmore about God, like you.

This new lifestyle includes water baptism, atradition in the Church that is a sign of your new birth

in Christ. It includes the baptism of the Holy Spiritwith the evidence of speaking in tongues, which is anadditional blessing from God that is available to younow that you are redeemed.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is part of God's plan for a full Christian life (Acts 2). And, of course,

it includes starting to exude some of the traits of your Father God—sort of like, letting some of His spiritualDNA rub off on you!

Galatians 5:22-25 gives you an idea about someof His traits, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh

38



with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit,let us also walk in the Spirit"

Can you act this way immediately on your own? No, you need God's help. But, remember, the onlything that God really wants from you right now is awilling and obedient spirit. If you give Him that, allthe rest will fall into place, day by day and choice bychoice.

Choose to Live the Best Life

Do you remember Adam and Eve's mistake in theGarden? What was the bottom-line problem theyhad? They chose to not trust in God. They chose togo their own way instead of just listening to God's

good advice and choosing the best way.Today and every day, you, too, will have a

choice—not about Heaven or hell, you've alreadychosen Heaven—but about choosing what's best for your life.

"Best" isn't going to be the same for everybody,

but it will always fall in line with Jesus' twoguidelines for living (Matthew 22:37-40). It won'tever go against the Bible.

You can choose to live the life you want to live.You can choose to do the right thing—one choice at atime.

Starting a new life with God isn't effortless. You

39



do have to choose to do the right thing in situations, but don't worry, as you grow in God, these newchoices will get easier and easier to make.

The Lord knows that you are human and needHis help to change. He doesn't expect you to do it allon your own; to become perfect the minute youreceive His Son as your personal Lord and Savior.

All of life is a process and becoming the

Christian that God created you to be doesn't happenovernight. It can only be done one day, one moment,and one choice at a time. Sometimes we can losesight of living "one day at a time" and get over- burdened in life. But, Jesus Himself gave us a tipabout this in Matthew 6:34 (NIV), "Therefore do not

worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about

itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Essentially, Christ was telling us to take life one dayat a time.

Strength to Do the Right Thing

Will it be easy to make changes in your habits? Itdepends on your habits before you chose to followChrist. Before you became a believer, your flesh wasused to having its way. So, it may fight God's way of doing things, even if you just got out of church!

Challenge yourself right now and say, "The next

time I feel that prompting in my heart, I'm going tochoose God's way instead of my own way." It may

40



not be easy at first, but you can do it. You've got theHoly Spirit living inside you because of the work of your salvation and all you need is a little practice tostart bringing out those spiritual DNA traits. Youhave the help of the Lord, so don't forget to ask for help from God when you need it.

As you start filling yourself with the Word, it willempower you to prosper in every area: spirit, soul,and body. When temptations arise, the Lord will prompt you by "tugging" at your spirit and you willknow the right choice for your situation. But, the blessing is that you won't simply know what to do. If you ask God for help, He will give you the power not

to do the wrong thing and give you the strength to dothe right thing.

The strength you'll feel rising up within your heart will be the very power of Almighty God, and itwill give you all the power you need to resist andmake the right choices in life. If it's temptation, it willflee as you resist it with faith (James 4:7).

Then, you'll be able to shout, "I did it! I said, NOto that!" Just like St. Paul the Apostle's good friend,Titus, you'll say, "For the grace of God that brings

salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say'No' to ungodliness, and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present

age " (Titus 2:11-12, NIV). Again, change begins in

the heart and then, makes its way into our way of

41



living choice by choice.

Changed From the Inside Out

This life is full of opportunities and choices thatwill enable the Lord to carve away your old nature.Today, you may see the imperfections, but God looksat you and sees the end result. He sees you alreadyfinished, perfect and complete! You are a brand new

baby Christian that is "in the making," "under construction," and on your way to being the powerful person God created you to be.

As you begin this journey, one of the most practical and life-changing tips we can leave you withis this: Jesus has the answer to every problem this

life has to offer, and every answer you need is in His precious, Holy Word and in His abiding presence inyour heart.

You are God's child now. You are at the beginning of a wonderful relationship with your heavenly Father. So, speak positive about yourself!

As situations come up in your life, research theWord of God and find the scriptures that apply toyour situation. Start quoting them to yourself rightwhere you are. Here are a few that you might enjoy:Romans 8:37; Romans 5:17; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 2Corinthians 10:5; Ephesians 3:17; Galatians 4:7;

Joshua 1:9; 1 John 4:4; Philippians 4:7,13,19;Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 91:10; Psalm 121:7; Luke

42



1:37; and 2 Timothy 1:7.

Just keep on doing what you know to do until

Jesus comes back for you. His return is imminent!

43



Chapter Seven

7A Place for You in Heaven

During Jesus' time on the earth, He told us, "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God;believe also in Me. In My Father's house are manymansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there yemay be also" (John 14:1-3).

Just as all the other prophecies in the Bibleconcerning Jesus came to pass, this one, which wasspoken by two angels after Christ died and wasresurrected, is destined to happen too.

As Christ ascended into Heaven, the angels saidto those watching, "...why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, Who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the sameway you have seen Him go into Heaven" Acts 1:11(NIV).

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 also proclaims thatJesus is coming back and describes an event where

we are caught up and meet Him in the clouds: "For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with thetrump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

45



Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

This scripture is describing an event that somecall the "rapture of the Church," and it is a truth thatmillions and millions of people have cherished fromChrist's time until today. We obey the scripture whenwe comfort ourselves with the words of Christ'sreturn. And, from the looks of the world today, this"rapture" or "catching away" just may be sooner thanwe think!

Revelation 22:20-21 (NKJV) are the two verylast scriptures God chose to share with mankind inHis Holy Word, and they are fitting for the end of this book as well, "He who testifies to these things says,'Surely I am coming quickly.' The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

Jesus is coming soon. No one knows the day or the hour of His return, but you can rest assured inknowing that because you have been redeemed, He iscoming for you! So, until we all meet in the clouds, please know that you are loved. You are a newmember of the family—the great, big, ever-growing,global family of God!

Welcome to the Family of God!

46



Steps to Take Next

• Read the Holy Bible— Start in the New Testament to begin learning more about living the Christian life.

• Pray— make it a habit to talk to God every day. Shareyour heart with Him and be still before Him, so thatHe may share His heart with you.

• Attend a local church that believes the full Word of

God— Be sure to visit churches in your area and findthe one that best suits you. Then, go regularly so thatyou will grow in the knowledge of God.

• Develop new relationships— Consider joining a home

bible study group, especially if you attend a largechurch, so that you will develop relationships with

people that can help your knowledge of God to grow.

• Ministry Products— if you can, begin listening tomessages from ministers you enjoy. Regular teachingwill help you to grow. May God bless you as youseek to know Him more and more!

47

85548041 Understanding Salvation Jesse Duplantis

Documents

Transcript of 85548041 Understanding Salvation Jesse Duplantis